89 S4 starts in any gear
#31
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Thread Starter
I separated the 6 pin connector in the spare tire well and tested for continuity. And removed the U plug, too.
Solid brown wire (matches up to the solid violet wire on the female connector) on the six pin male connector in the spare tire well has continuity to ground.
I don't think it should. I am wrong. Brown wire supplies ground to the switch ( I think)
The solid violet wire does not have continuity to ground. And that sound right.
Solid brown wire (matches up to the solid violet wire on the female connector) on the six pin male connector in the spare tire well has continuity to ground.
The solid violet wire does not have continuity to ground. And that sound right.
Last edited by Kevin in Atlanta; 10-11-2019 at 11:21 AM.
#32
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then I would go to the spare tire well and test for continuity between the Violet and violet/white wires in all gear positions. Should have continuity in P and N only.
then check that the mating side's plug has continuity to ground for the Brown wire, and that the Brown/Yellow does not have continuity to ground with the U plug still disconnected.
#33
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Thread Starter
Decided to peel back the electrical tape on the wiring leading to the connector.
Found another brown/yellow wire folded back.
Found another brown/yellow wire folded back.
#34
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Thread Starter
I'm going to break out the multimeter and see which wire has continuity to the six pin connector in the spare tire well.
#35
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I believe that extra wire is the connection for the manual transmission cars. Since yours is an auto it isn't used and therefore it is taped into the harness. It should have continuity with the other brown/yellow at U23.
#36
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Thread Starter
I have no history on this car. The CE panel was replaced from all indications.
No continuity from extra wire to ground. It should go to MPVI - the location with the disconnected ground that I re-attached.
Continuity between the two switched grounds at the harness end - No. There should be.
Continuity from the six pin connector in the tire well to the CE block connector - No.
Continuity from the extra wire at the harness to the six pin connector in the tire well - YES!
Looks like the CE block connector is using the wrong switched ground.
Need to pull the CE panel to see how they wired 85 with constant ground.
Do you agree?
#37
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Yep...like I said, when you look at the backside of a CE panel that has been tinkered with by a previous owner....you never know what you might find!
(Most recently on an 85, I couldn't figure out why the heater blower had no power. After tracing and testing everything, I pulled the CE and on the backside someone had rewired its power from its original fuse spot to one of the typically-unused fuse spots. ?? Problem solved.)
I'm sure you've seen the backside of a CE panel, but the most obvious alterations will be any wires that are not grey.
-Jason
(Most recently on an 85, I couldn't figure out why the heater blower had no power. After tracing and testing everything, I pulled the CE and on the backside someone had rewired its power from its original fuse spot to one of the typically-unused fuse spots. ?? Problem solved.)
I'm sure you've seen the backside of a CE panel, but the most obvious alterations will be any wires that are not grey.
-Jason
#38
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Thread Starter
The CE looks unmolested.
From my meager understanding of wiring diagrams it looks like:
Switched Ground at the neutral switch to XIV 85 to U23 to V14 to LH Pin 30
Does that mean the LH is providing constant ground?
From my meager understanding of wiring diagrams it looks like:
Switched Ground at the neutral switch to XIV 85 to U23 to V14 to LH Pin 30
Does that mean the LH is providing constant ground?
#40
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Thread Starter
Does my swapping the extra wire for the one in the connector make sense?
Extra credit:
Found this jumpered - I assume this is to the alarm.
Alarm bypass in blue connector.
Any idea what the white connector goes to? I think it's a connector for the glovebox light.
#41
Both of those connectors are for the alarm, and yep, it's jumpered.
#42
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Thread Starter
The problem at hand is fixing this:
I need some guidance in popping the two female connectors out of the harness.
I need some guidance in popping the two female connectors out of the harness.
#43
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Thread Starter
So, let's recap.
Neutral switch works. No continuity between violet and violet/white striped wires at the 6 pin connector in the boot unless gear selector is in D or N.
No continuity from 6 pin in the boot to harness end U23.
Continuity from 6 pin in the boot to loose wire on the U harness end.
No continuity between loose wire on the U harness and U23 harness end.
With computers connected XIV 85 has continuity all the time.
With computers disconnected XIV 85 has no continuity.
U23 has continuity with V14.
CE panel looks new. Was replaced at some point.
Could it also have a new U harness?
Alarm has been bypassed. Probably chasing a no start.
Neutral switch works. No continuity between violet and violet/white striped wires at the 6 pin connector in the boot unless gear selector is in D or N.
No continuity from 6 pin in the boot to harness end U23.
Continuity from 6 pin in the boot to loose wire on the U harness end.
No continuity between loose wire on the U harness and U23 harness end.
With computers connected XIV 85 has continuity all the time.
With computers disconnected XIV 85 has no continuity.
U23 has continuity with V14.
CE panel looks new. Was replaced at some point.
Could it also have a new U harness?
Alarm has been bypassed. Probably chasing a no start.
#44
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Thread Starter
Based on this info I would suggest that you get the WSM out and identify the ground wire/s that were removed ,
this should be pretty easy as you can test where the other ground wires go and this will lead you to the ones that are missing.
NOTE as the missing wires will tie into the same ground point as the ones still there, use the WSM to see this.
this should be pretty easy as you can test where the other ground wires go and this will lead you to the ones that are missing.
NOTE as the missing wires will tie into the same ground point as the ones still there, use the WSM to see this.
Edit: The two smaller gauge ground wire that were not connected to the MPVI ground point are for
Transmission safety switch
Neutral Switch Ground - solid violet wire.
I looked at the harness on my other 89S4 and traced the wire into one section of the harness. Using that knowledge to looked at the same harness on the 89 I'm working on.
There is no evidence of that 4.0 brown wire ever being a part of that harness.
The harness at one indicates it was destined for an automatic and the other end at the harness was configured for a manual transmission.
So, moving on...
Don't care about the broken ground from the U23 wire except that I need to swap the loose wire for the ungrounded wire.
Rather than attempt to extricate the clip from the U connector, I'll use a mechanical solution to connect it to the existing U23 wire (No ground, no foul).
That's the easy part. I still don't understand if constant ground to XIV's 85 is right. 30 on the LH is Automatic Idle Drop.
Last edited by Kevin in Atlanta; 10-13-2019 at 04:30 PM. Reason: Added more information
#45
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Thread Starter
89 S4 starts in any gear -FIXED!!!!
I cut the wire from the harness and used the one that was loose and..... drumroll please.
It does not start in reverse.
It does not start in reverse.
Last edited by Kevin in Atlanta; 10-13-2019 at 07:42 PM. Reason: Added a picture,,,